In a shocking turn of events, the Dallas Cowboys and head coach Mike McCarthy have decided to part ways. McCarthy's contract expired after the 2024 campaign. The two sides initially planned to successfully negotiate an extension, but discussions broke down, leading to a mutual split.
The Cowboys will now enter the market for a new coach, and McCarthy is expected to garner interest from the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints. Dallas is incredibly late to the process, with the top candidates having already interviewed elsewhere, with the New England Patriots appointing Mike Vrabel. The timing may cause Jerry Jones to oversee a creative search. We've identified three potential candidates.
Deion Sanders
Colorado Buffaloes head coach and Hall of Fame player Deion Sanders is the first linked candidate. Sanders spoke with ESPN on Monday, confirming that Jones has already contacted him about his vacancy. Jones is already swinging for the fences by identifying candidates outside the expected pool.
Sanders comes with plenty of media attention, but he's undeniably done an outstanding job at Colorado. In two campaigns, the Buffaloes quickly improved from 1-11 to 9-4, establishing themselves as Big 12 contenders. Jones is desperate to end the Cowboys' Super Bowl drought. That's leading him to consider unconventional methods that he hopes result in capturing lightning in a bottle. Sanders would probably be more willing to consider Dallas’ gig if drafting his son Shedeur Sanders was realistic, but the Cowboys are financially tied to quarterback Dak Prescott.
Pete Carroll
The 73-year-old Pete Carroll has surprisingly been included in this offseason's coaching cycle. After coaching the Seattle Seahawks from 2010-2023, Carroll was pushed out last summer in favor of Mike Macdonald, spending the 2024 campaign as an advisor to the organization. Now that his contract in Seattle has expired, teams are showing interest in the available Super Bowl XLVIII-winning coach.
Carroll was slated to interview with both the Bears and Las Vegas Raiders. It wouldn't be shocking if the Cowboys now entered the market for his services. Jones tends to prefer experienced candidates with a history of success. Carroll would appease those requirements as a legitimate, familiar leader.
Jon Gruden
Another unexpected candidate is going to emerge. Perhaps it's Marvin Lewis, Jeff Fisher, Jason Witten, Greg Olson, or Ron Rivera. Our official prediction is that Jones will kick the tires of Jon Gruden’s availability.
Gruden has already been linked to a potential return to the sidelines this cycle. He strategically spent the previous few months in the public eye, signing a media deal with Barstool Sports. Gruden has been out of the league since resigning from his role with the Raiders in 2021. His exit was littered with controversy amidst unacceptable off-field behavior that was revealed via a league investigation into workplace conduct.
Jones may test the league's willingness to allow Gruden back in despite his ongoing lawsuit against the NFL and its commissioner Roger Goodell. It's worth noting Gruden recently did some advisory work for the Saints. The former Super Bowl-winning coach is still considered to possess an innovative offensive mind.
